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Puget Sound is the second-largest estuary in the United States, with numerous channels and branches carved by glaciers. It is fed by freshwater from 19 river basins flowing down from the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. The region is home to over four million people, and its economy is largely dependent on the sound's natural resources, such as lumber, shellfish, and recreation. While Puget Sound is known for its diverse wildlife, including various fish species such as sturgeons, lampreys, rockfish, and salmon, there is no specific mention of grouper in the available sources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Washington State, United States |
| Type | Estuary |
| Size | Second-largest estuary in the United States |
| Inhabitants | Over 4 million people |
| Flora | 26 species of kelp |
| Fauna | Over 3000 species of invertebrates, over 200 species of marine fish, hundreds of species of seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl, marine mammals like orcas, sea lions, sea otters, whales, and harbor seals |
| Economy | Lumber, shellfish, recreation |
| Impact of Climate Change | Sea level rise will likely affect coastal habitats and wildlife, loss of beaches and wetlands, changes in tidal wetlands and capacity to support salmon |
| Conservation Efforts | Changes to fishery practices, petitioning to add species to the Endangered Species Act, ongoing efforts to restore Olympia oysters |
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What You'll Learn
Puget Sound is home to many fish species
Puget Sound is a large estuary in the United States, with numerous glacier-carved channels and branches. It is fed by freshwater from 19 river basins flowing down from the Olympic and Cascade Mountains to the wetlands, salt marshes, and bays of the sound. The sound's climate, extensive shoreline, nutrient-rich waters, and diverse habitats support a variety of wildlife, including many fish species.
The sound is home to more than 200 species of marine fish, including forage fish, salmonids, bottom fish, and groundfish. The three most common forage fish species in the Puget Sound basin are Pacific herring, surf smelt, and Pacific sand lance. There are 19 different stocks of Pacific herring in the sound, and they are a mix of "resident" and "migratory" populations. Surf smelt use predictable shoreline areas for spawning across seasons, and Pacific sand lance is widespread within the nearshore marine waters of Washington. Other forage fishes found in the sound include the Pacific sand lance and surf smelt.
Puget Sound is also home to important benthopelagic fish, including North Pacific hake, Pacific cod, walleye/Alaska pollock, and spiny dogfish. There are also many groundfish species in the sound, such as lingcod, cabezon, sculpins, and flatfish like halibut, soles, and sand dabs. The sound has about 28 species of rockfish, including copper rockfish and quillback rockfish. Some rockfish, like bocaccio and vermillion, have distinct population segments in the sound that are at risk of overfishing.
In addition to the diverse fish species, Puget Sound is also home to numerous marine invertebrates, including sponges, sea anemones, chitons, clams, sea snails, limpets, crabs, barnacles, starfish, sea urchins, and sand dollars. There are also many bivalves in the sound, such as Pacific oysters and geoduck clams. The region's human population growth, pollution, and climate change have contributed to the decline of various plant and animal species in the sound, including forage fish, salmonids, and bottom fish.
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Rockfish are at risk of overfishing
Rockfish are long-lived, bony fish in the Scorpaenid family, primarily in the genus Sebastes. There are about 28 species of rockfish in Puget Sound, though one source states there are 27 species. Rockfish give birth to live young, ranging in number from around 3,000 in the smallest local species, the Puget Sound rockfish (Sebastes emphaeus), up to 3,000,000 for the three-foot-long yelloweye (Sebastes ruberrimus). Rockfish populations in Puget Sound began to wane in the 1970s, and rockfish numbers have continued to plummet.
Rockfish are particularly susceptible to overfishing. They have low average annual reproductive success, and their long lifespans make them vulnerable to overfishing. Rockfish in Puget Sound are classified as having Low or Very Low productivity according to definitions specified by the American Fisheries Society (AFS). Recreational rockfish harvest rates have declined precipitously in Puget Sound, from 1.01 fish per trip in 1977 to approximately 0.50 fish per trip in 1994. After 1994, the catch rates dropped further to between 0.27 and 0.30 fish per trip.
In 2010, three species of rockfish in Puget Sound were listed under the Endangered Species Act: bocaccio as Endangered, and canary and yelloweye rockfish as Threatened. This listing applied specifically to the portion of these species that live in the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin, east of a line between Victoria, British Columbia, and Port Angeles. The underwater sill at this location restricts water movement and interchange between coastal and inland bocaccio and yelloweye. In 2017, the canary rockfish was delisted after research found the Puget Sound population was not genetically distinct from the others along the West Coast.
To protect rockfish and prevent overharvesting, Washington has established strict harvest guidelines and area closures. A harvest guideline is the maximum annual harvest of a targeted species. Rockfish recovery plans have also been developed to restore rockfish species to the point where they no longer require the protections of the Endangered Species Act.
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Puget Sound has a diverse marine ecosystem
Puget Sound, the second-largest estuary in the United States, boasts a diverse marine ecosystem that sustains a variety of wildlife. Its numerous glacier-carved channels and branches are fed by freshwater from 19 different river basins flowing down from the Olympic and Cascade Mountains to the wetlands, salt marshes, and bays of the sound. The region's climate, extensive shoreline, nutrient-rich waters, and diverse habitats contribute to its ecological richness.
The marine ecosystem of Puget Sound is home to a plethora of fish species. Common forage fishes found in these waters include Pacific herring, surf smelt, and Pacific sand lance. Important benthopelagic fish include North Pacific hake, Pacific cod, walleye/Alaska pollock, and the spiny dogfish. Other notable groundfish species present in Puget Sound are the lingcod, cabezon, Pacific halibut, California halibut, and various species of flatfish. Puget Sound is particularly known for its rockfish diversity, with about 28 species of Sebastidae found in its waters. Some rockfish species, such as bocaccio and vermillion, have distinct populations in the sound that are at risk of overfishing.
In addition to its rich fish diversity, Puget Sound also supports a variety of marine invertebrates. It is estimated to have over 3,000 species of invertebrates, including sponges, sea anemones, chitons, clams, sea snails, limpets, crabs, barnacles, starfish, sea urchins, and sand dollars. The geoduck clam, also known as the \"king clam,\" is considered a delicacy in Asian countries and is abundant in Puget Sound. Other notable bivalves include the Pacific oyster and the Olympia oyster, which is currently the subject of restoration efforts after being depleted by human activities in the 20th century.
The marine ecosystem of Puget Sound also extends to seabirds and marine mammals. The sound is home to hundreds of species of seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl, including the tufted puffin, bufflehead, western sandpiper, bald eagle, pigeon guillemot, common loon, and harlequin duck. Marine mammals found in these waters include orcas, sea lions, sea otters, gray whales, humpback whales, and harbor seals.
However, Puget Sound's diverse marine ecosystem faces threats due to human population growth, pollution, and climate change. There has been a correlating decrease in various plant and animal species as the region's human population has increased. Species such as forage fish, salmonids, bottom fish, marine birds, harbor porpoises, and orcas have experienced population declines. Climate change and sea-level rise are also expected to impact coastal habitats and the wildlife that depends on them. Efforts to address these environmental issues and protect the region's biodiversity are ongoing.
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The impact of sea level rise on Puget Sound
Puget Sound, a part of the Cascadia subduction zone, has seen a sea level rise of over 9 inches since 1899, according to measurements by a NOAA tide gauge at Colman Dock. While the East and Gulf coasts are expected to witness the most significant sea level rise, the vulnerability of coastal communities to the impacts of rising sea levels is not directly tied to the magnitude of change. Instead, it is the preparedness of these communities that will determine the extent of damage incurred.
The local impacts of rising sea levels in the Puget Sound region are expected to be profound. Previous reports have predicted an increase in flooding across low-lying areas in Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia. The state of Washington could witness the disappearance of nearly 70% of its tidal wetlands by 2100, with historic flooding becoming more frequent and severe. The coastal communities in and around Neah Bay, Port Angeles, Seattle, and Cherry Point are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of rising sea levels.
The Puget Sound Coastal Resilience Project is studying six deltas across Puget Sound to develop strategies to mitigate the impact of rising sea levels. One-third of the Puget Sound shoreline is already armored with "gray" infrastructure, such as levees, dikes, bulkheads, and armored roads, to protect communities from flooding and storm damage. However, the importance of natural "green" infrastructure, such as tidal marshes, wetlands, and eelgrass beds, in building coastal resilience is also being recognized.
While the future holds uncertainty, with variables such as the disintegration of ice shelves, ground uplift, and greenhouse gas emissions playing a role in sea level rise, the next few decades are expected to be crucial. The efforts made to reduce carbon emissions will significantly influence the trajectory of sea level rise beyond 2050.
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The economy of the region is tied to the sound
The economy of the region is tied to Puget Sound in several ways. The Sound is home to a diverse range of marine life, including forage fishes such as Pacific herring, surf smelt, and Pacific sand lance, as well as important benthopelagic fish like North Pacific hake and Pacific cod. There are also various groundfish species, such as lingcod, cabezon, and Pacific halibut. Puget Sound supports a rich ecosystem of marine invertebrates, sponges, sea anemones, chitons, clams, sea snails, and more.
One notable delicacy found in Puget Sound is the geoduck, also known as the "king clam." In 1967, an estimated 110 million pounds of geoducks were reported to be situated in the Sound's sediments. Geoducks are considered a delicacy in Asian countries, and they contribute to the region's economy through shellfish harvesting and exports.
Puget Sound is also known for its rockfish species, some of which are at risk of overfishing. To protect these vulnerable species, Washington has established strict harvest guidelines and area closures. The bocaccio rockfish, for example, was listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2010.
The health of Puget Sound's ecosystem directly impacts the region's economy, particularly in industries such as fisheries and tourism. The Washington State Ferries, for instance, play a vital role in connecting the larger islands of Puget Sound to the mainland, facilitating both passenger and vehicular traffic. However, the region has faced challenges due to the decline in various plant and animal species, attributed to human population growth, pollution, and climate change.
In summary, the economy of the region is closely tied to Puget Sound through fisheries, tourism, and the diverse range of marine life that the Sound supports. The health and sustainability of Puget Sound's ecosystem are crucial for the region's economic prosperity and the well-being of its residents and businesses.
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